


Typing a Report

by Bluewolf458



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: Other, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-02
Updated: 2015-02-02
Packaged: 2018-03-10 05:00:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,040
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3277643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bluewolf458/pseuds/Bluewolf458
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jim is working on a report...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Typing a Report

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Sentinel Thursday to the prompt reason
> 
> Follows Unrequited Love

Jim Ellison sat at his desk, from what had become habit pretending to find typing harder than it actually was for him. He did hate typing out reports and it did take him longer than necessary, that much was true; but one day, not long after Blair started riding with him, he had been really struggling with a report, thinking, as he typed, of the best way to word it, when Blair had arrived, watched him for about ten seconds, then - because he had been present at the scene - suggested that he write the report for Jim. All Jim would then have to do would read it, either approve it as it stood or suggest a few alterations, print it out and sign it.

It was a suggestion Jim had accepted, on that occasion, out of sheer desperation, but then, finding how easily Blair managed to fill out reports - and even seemed to enjoy it, no matter how gory the crime - he had developed the habit of 'struggling' with his typing any time Blair was either at the PD or expected to arrive at any minute, knowing that Blair would sigh with apparent resignation then take over, telling him that at the rate he was going he would be dead of old age before he finished.

Simon had quickly realized what was happening, but turned a blind eye, knowing that Blair's description of events would be far more detailed than Jim's, if only because Jim never used more words than he had to; his reports had always been a masterpiece of succintness. Blair, without being verbose about it, gave details.

As he typed, Jim found his thoughts wandering, and the slow pecking of keys became even slower. Blair. His guide, his best friend, the man he had been secretly in love with from almost the day they had first met. But he had no reason to think that Blair could possibly be interested in him 'that way'. After getting his ridealong status, Blair had gone through the unmarried women he had encountered at the PD like a dose of salts, though Jim knew, from comments he had overheard, that they mostly considered Blair 'a perfect gentleman'. While one or two had bemoaned the fact that he _hadn't_ tried to get into their beds, most seemed to appreciate that he hadn't. One had even commented that Blair seemed to take his fatherless state almost too seriously, and was determined that he wouldn't risk fathering a child unless he was already married. He had only gone out with most of them a couple of times; Sam Brewster in Forensics was the only one he had taken out oftener than that. 

That particular romance could have become serious, but it had died the death after the prank she had played in the lab while they were investigating the fire at Gershwin's. It could have injured him quite seriously. She had subsequently maintained that it wasn't that dangerous; Blair told her that he didn't find practical jokes at all funny, he was sorry he'd missed the date with her but something had come up at Rainier and he'd confused the day - and that he didn't want to see her again.

Since then, Blair hadn't, to the best of Jim's knowledge, dated anyone. However, instead of giving him hope, Jim couldn't help but remember Blair's reaction to Maya Carasco. He was quite sure that, given the chance, Blair would be drawn back to her.

Jim stopped typing, and began reading through what he'd written, shaking his head as he did. Even he could recognize how incomplete it was.

"Hi, Jim!"

He jumped; although his attention had been on what he was doing, he usually kept at least part of his awareness attuned to his surroundings. That he hadn't been conscious of Blair's arrival showed how badly he was being affected by his secret thoughts.

"Hi, Chief. Glad you're here - I'm really struggling with this - "

"Seems like you always struggle any time you're typing up something," Blair told him. "Sometimes I think you only pretend you have a problem so you can get me to do the work. Okay, move over. What are you doing?"

Jim felt his face flushing just a little, and was glad Blair's attention was on the monitor. "Trying to do the report on the Woodrow case."

"Not getting on very fast, are you? Now is that because you were waiting for me to arrive so that I could do it?"

"My mind kept wandering," Jim muttered.

"Hmmm." Blair read through what Jim had typed up. "Well, this seems fine as far as it goes - "

"Which isn't far enough. I know," Jim admitted.

"So what kept distracting you?" Blair asked as he started typing.

"I suddenly remembered Sam Brewster, thinking you haven't dated anyone since then, and wondering why."

"Sam was a major mistake," Blair said. "But if you really want to know... I fell in love, seriously in love, quite some time ago, with someone I know doesn't love me that way. After Sam, I decided that it wasn't fair to date anyone when I had no intention of taking things further than casual."

"That's tough," Jim said, then admitted, "but I do understand. I suppose she's married?" _Right, Ellison, twist the knife a bit deeper into your heart!_

Blair typed a few more words, then said, "This is going to sound crazy... but I'm bisexual. It's a man."

 _A man..._ "Anyone I know?" Jim asked, striving for casual.

Blair stopped typing, took a deep breath, and said, "You. But don't worry - I'm not about to act on it. I'm content with friendship."

Jim closed his eyes for a moment as relief coursed through him. "What if I say I'd like to take it beyond friendship?"

"You... you would?"

"I've been in love with you for months, but I thought you were too fond of the ladies to be interested in me."

They looked at each other, both aware of exactly where they were, then Jim said, "Hurry up and finish that report, then we can go home... "

"That's the best offer I've had in a long time," Blair said softly. Turing back to the computer, he started typing really fast.


End file.
